Caprese Salad….With A Twist!!!

I love the combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. I love the creamy texture and taste of fresh mozzarella. I love the bright flavor of basil. What don’t I like about a Caprese Salad? Sliced tomatoes leaving their tomato slime all over my plate! I do enjoy eating diced tomatoes in a pasta dish, or even on a taco as a pico de gallo. I cannot, however, eat a sliced tomato – there is just too much slime involved. And – I know when one has been accidentally placed on a sandwich I order and then removed!

I decided to try a twist on this salad by replacing the tomatoes with roasted bell peppers. This may not be for everyone, especially those tomato lovers, but I LOVED it! The sweetness of the bell peppers was an excellent pairing with the fresh Mozzarella and basil.

Start by roasting the bell peppers. This will take some time – so make sure you allow for it! Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the bell peppers on a piece of foil in the oven and roast, turning with tongs occasionally, for about 30 minutes. You can also throw them on the grill – you’ll get the to the same result! Once they are blackened and the skin is blistered, they are done. Remove them from the oven and place them in a zip top bag for about 15 minutes. This will help “steam” them and the skins will remove more easily. Warning: Oven roasting peppers will make your home smell amazing all day!

Once they have sat in the bag for awhile, take them out and remove the skin. Be gentle with them, you’ll want them to stay in large pieces for your salad.

ABOUT ME

Welcome to The Bubbly Hostess! My name is Heather - I love to cook, entertain, plan parties, and of course.....drink champagne. Being a wife and a mommy, my party style ranges from birthday parties for little ones to elegant cocktail parties for the grown ups. I hope you will enjoy my site, leave feedback, and share with others!